Toothbrush with transparent handle

ABSTRACT

A toothbrush comprises an elongated handle and a head having cleaning elements extending outwardly from the head. At least a portion of the handle is made from a water clear material having low durometer hardness. At least one object may be embedded within the handle. The object would be visible through the outer surface of the handle.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Various attempts have been made to provide toothbrushes which wouldencourage children to brush their teeth. It is known, for example, fromU.S. Pat. No. 5,966,769 to provide a toothbrush with a fillable hollowhandle. As described in that patent the handle is constructed from atransparent plastic material which contains a decorative fluid withinthe hollow interior of the handle component. The brush component andhandle component are releasably interconnected so that the user cancollect various handle components featuring different characters. Thehandle components and brush components are interchangeable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of this invention is to provide a toothbrush having atransparent handle which encourages users, particularly children, to usethe toothbrush.

A further object of this invention is to provide such a toothbrush whichmay contain an object within the handle visible through the outersurface of the handle.

In accordance with this invention the toothbrush comprises an elongatedhandle and a head secured to one end of the handle. Cleaning elementsextend outwardly from the outer surface of the head. At least a portionof the handle is made from a water clear material which has lowdurometer hardness to enhance sensorial tactility when the user gripsthe handle.

In a preferred practice of the invention at least one object is embeddedwithin the water clear handle and the object is thereby visible throughthe outer surface of the handle. The object could be in the form ofspeckles such as holographic speckles or could be a colorant or could bea figurine. Where the toothbrush is a power toothbrush the object couldbe the inner workings of the power drive, such as the batteries, themotor and the shaft.

THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a tooth-brush made in accordancewith this invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the handle of an alternativetoothbrush in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken through FIG. 1 along the line3-3; and

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of yet another toothbrush inaccordance with this invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As shown in FIG. 1 a toothbrush 10 includes an elongated handle 12. Ahead 14 is secured to one end of the handle. Cleaning elements 16 areprovided on head 14 extending outwardly from the outer surface of thehead 14.

In accordance with this invention at least a part and preferably all ofthe handle 12 is made of a water clear material having low durometerhardness. Any suitable material may be used. For example, such waterclear material is available from Tecknor Apex of Pawtucket, R.I. Apreferred low durometer water clear elastomer material has a durometerrange of Shore A 1-15. Such low durometer affords an increased sensorialtactility or “grip feel” that is ideal for toothbrushes especially thoseused for children and the elderly.

Because at least some of handle 12 is made from a water clear materialthe invention is preferably practiced by embedding at least one objectwithin the water clear material so that the object can be seen throughthe outer surface of that portion of handle 12. Any suitable objectcould be incorporated within handle 12 in accordance with thisinvention. One example of a suitable object would be variously shapedspeckles such as holographic speckles 18 which would be embeddedthroughout the handle 12 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. Such holographicspeckles may be obtained from any suitable source, such as Spectra Teckfrom Los Angeles, Calif. Other types of objects could include colorantsof various degrees of clarity and translucency. Other objects could bethermochromic colorants or even small figurines such as figurine 20shown in FIG. 2.

In the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 the toothbrushes 10 and 10Aare manual toothbrushes which could be of otherwise conventionalconstruction. Preferably, the head 14 is permanently or non-detachablysecured to the handle 12. The invention could be practiced, however,where the head 14 and handle 12 are detachably connected from eachother. Each toothbrush also includes a narrow neck portion 22 betweenthe head 14 and handle 12. Neck 22 could be made of water clear materialthe same as handle 12 or could be made of any other conventionalmaterial such as opaque polypropylene used for making head 14.

FIG. 4 shows yet another embodiment of this invention wherein thetoothbrush 10B is a power toothbrush having a movable section 24 whichis illustrated as a circular disk that could be moved in any suitabledirection. As shown in FIG. 4 toothbrush 10B includes the power assemblyin the form of batteries 26 and motor 28 which drives a shaft 30. Shaft30 extends through neck 22 and causes disk 24 to move. Head 14 may alsoinclude static cleaning elements 16 in addition to the cleaning elementsthat would be on movable portion 24.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4 the water clear handle 14 permits theinner workings of the power drive to be visible. Thus, the innerworkings, such as batteries 26, motor 28 and a portion of shaft 30 wouldbe the objects visible through the outer surface of handle 12.

As shown in FIG. 4 the outer surface of handle 12 could also be utilizedto obtain suitable identifying material such as a company logo 32 toidentify the source of the toothbrush. The logo 32 could be placed onthe outer surface of the handle or could be embedded within the handleto function as the visible object. The logo also may be made ofholographic material.

Although FIG. 4 illustrates only a single movable section 24 theinvention could be practiced where the head 14 includes more than onepower or electrically operated movable sections carrying cleaningelements. Such movable section may oscillate in a rotational manner ormay oscillate linearly in a longitudinal direction with respect to thelongitudinal axis of the head or may oscillate linearly in a lateral ortransverse direction with respect to the longitudinal axis of the head.The movable section may oscillate in and out in a direction toward andaway from the outer surface of the head. The movable section may rockback and forth with respect to the outer surface of the head. Themovable section may rotate continuously in the same direction, ratherthan oscillate. Any suitable drive mechanism may be used for impartingthe desired motion to the movable section. Where plural movable sectionsare used, all of the movable sections may have the same type anddirection of movement, or combinations of different movements may beused. The movable section 24 could be oscillated rotationally such as byusing the type of drive mechanism shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,625,916, orcould move in and out using the type of drive mechanism shown in U.S.Pat. No. Re35,941, all of the details of both patents are incorporatedherein by reference thereto. Alternatively, the other types of drivesreferred to above could move section 24 in other manners and directions.Although FIG. 4 shows movable section 24 to be at the distal end of thehead, the movable section(s) could be located at any desired location onthe head.

Any suitable form of cleaning elements may be used for the fixed sectionhaving cleaning elements 16 and for movable section 24. The term“cleaning elements” is intended to be used in a generic sense whichcould include conventional fiber bristles or massage elements or otherforms of cleaning elements such as elastomeric fingers or walls arrangedin a circular cross-sectional shape or any type of desired shapeincluding straight portions or sinusoidal portions. Where bristles areused, the bristles could be mounted to tuft blocks or sections byextending through suitable openings in the tuft blocks so that the baseof the bristles is mounted within or below the tuft block.

The invention can be practiced with various combinations of the same ordifferent cleaning element configurations (such as stapled or in-moldedtechnology bristles, etc.) and/or with the same bristle or cleaningelement materials (such as nylon bristles, spiral bristles, rubberbristles, etc.) The cleaning elements could be generally perpendicularto the outer surface of head 14. Some or all of the cleaning elementsmay be angled at various angles with respect to the outer surface ofhead 14. It is thereby possible to select the combination of cleaningelement configurations, materials and orientations to achieve specificintended results to deliver additional oral health benefits, likeenhanced cleaning tooth polishing, tooth whitening and/or massaging ofthe gums.

The handle 12 could take any suitable form such as having a rounded end34 such as illustrated in FIG. 1 for toothbrush 10 or could have a flatbase 36 at its end as shown in FIG. 2 which would permit the toothbrush10A to stand on end during non-use.

In the preferred illustrated practice of this invention the handle 12and head 14 are permanently or non-detachably connected together. Theinvention, however, could be practiced where the handle and head aredetachably secured together such as shown by the dividing line 38 inFIG. 4 between the neck 22 and the handle 12. Although FIG. 4 is anillustration of a power operated toothbrush such detachable connectioncould also be used in a manually operated toothbrush. The detachableconnection would permit the manufacturer to make the head and neck asseparate components which could then be attached together and/or permitthe user to mix and match different head components with differenthandle components.

Although the various figures individually show different types ofobjects embedded within the handle, the invention could be practicedwith combinations of objects. Thus, for example, the same water clearhandle may include speckles such as holographic speckles and/or afigurine which could be made of holographic material and/or couldinclude different colorants throughout or in selected portions of thewater clear handle. Such combinations of objects may be included in thepower operated toothbrush in addition to the drive mechanism.

The invention could be practiced where the object is embedded in thetransparent material such as shown in FIGS. 1-3 or where the object isin a hollow cavity in the handle such as shown in FIG. 4. Some object(s)may be embedded in the material with objects in a hollow cavity.

The various embodiments thus provide a toothbrush which would have anappearance to attract interest in and encourage use of the toothbrush.

1. A toothbrush comprising an elongated handle, a head secured to oneend of said handle, cleaning elements extending outwardly from an outersurface of said head, at least a portion of said handle being made froma water clear material having an outer surface, at least one objectmounted within said handle, said object being visible through said outersurface of said handle, and said water clear material having lowdurometer hardness to enhance sensorial tactility when a user grips saidhandle.
 2. The toothbrush of claim 1 wherein all of said handle is madefrom said water clear material.
 3. The toothbrush of claim 1 whereinsaid water clear material is an elastomer material having a durometerrange of Shore A 1-15.
 4. The toothbrush of claim 1 wherein said atleast one object is a plurality of speckles embedded within said waterclear material.
 5. The toothbrush of claim 4 wherein said speckles areholographic speckles.
 6. The toothbrush of claim 1 wherein said at leastone object are colorants embedded within said water clear material. 7.The toothbrush of claim 6 wherein said colorants are translucent.
 8. Thetoothbrush of claim 6 wherein said colorants are thermochromiccolorants.
 9. The toothbrush of claim 1 wherein said at least one objectis a figurine.
 10. The toothbrush of claim 9 wherein said figurine isembedded within said water clear material.
 11. The toothbrush of claim 1wherein said toothbrush is a power operated toothbrush, and said headincluding at least one movable section power driven by power operatedstructure in said handle.
 12. The toothbrush of claim 11 wherein said atleast one object is said power operated structure, and said poweroperated structure includes batteries and a motor and a shaft driven bysaid motor.
 13. The toothbrush of claim 1 wherein said handle terminatesin a flat base.
 14. The toothbrush of claim 1 wherein said head is madefrom an opaque material.
 15. The toothbrush of claim 14 wherein a neckportion connects said head to said handle, and said neck portion beingopaque.
 16. The toothbrush of claim 14 wherein a neck portion connectssaid head to said handle, and said neck portion being made from saidwater clear material.
 17. The toothbrush of claim 1 wherein said head isnon-detachably secured to said handle.
 18. A toothbrush comprising anelongated handle, a head secured to one head of said handle, cleaningelements extending outwardly from an outer surface of said head, atleast a portion of said handle being made from a water clear elastomermaterial, and said water clear elastomer material having a durometerrange of Shore A 1-15 to enhance sensorial tactility when a user gripssaid handle.
 19. The toothbrush of claim 18 wherein all of said handleis made from said water clear material.
 20. The toothbrush of claim 18wherein said head is non-detachably secured to said handle.